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| The
LTR450 comes stock with 14-36 sprockets,
so to increase low end without sacrificing
anymore ground clearance we went with
a 12 tooth front sprocket, which worked
great for woods riding, but ofcourse,
it cut down on the top end |
The gearing change had indeed helped and we feel
this is one change that will help make the LTR450
a lot more trail friendly, especially when larger
tires are added that can handle the terrain we
usually encounter on the trails. While the factory
tires on the LTR are not meant to be shredding
rocks and roots, they did the job without any
flats or punctures and have held up fairly well
to the beating we have given them.
The real drawback to the LTR450 and trails,
most trails anyway, is its factory width. We
knew this would be an issue and tight trails
with factory offset rims it just takes this
machine off the table if running the tight stuff
is your main goal in stock form. Of course,
narrow control arms and a 4-1 rim offset would
easily get you in between the trees easier;
the majority of riders who ride for fun just
aren’t out to spend the kind of money
it takes to make a trail quad out of a motocross
inspired platform.
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| The
lightweight motocross tires on the LTR450
held up great in the woods without any
punctures, but if you plan on doing most
of your riding in the woods, it would
be worth while to upgrade to a larger
set of tires & wheels specifically
designed for woods riding |
Can this model be a tree basher? Sure it can
and it is ridden for fun and in competition
every weekend all over this country but in my
opinion it isn’t the best option for the
tightest of trails and in competition where
47 inches is about as wide as you want, this
model leaves you just a touch too wide.
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The
Yoshimura Cherry Bomb plugs right into
the Suzuki LTR450 & it by-passes all
the built-in emmission restrictions &
allows the QuadRacer to really come to
life without any other major changes,
but ofcourse an aftermarket exhaust &
air-filter will really make a major improvement
in power |
Our own feedback in stock form on our trails
showed us the rider was fighting the machine
non stop as he ran in ruts made by narrower
quads. Keep in mind, we tested this machine
in showroom stock condition and have stated
that a few changes could easily turn this model
into a woods friendly ATV, just don’t
expect to go whoop up on GNCC Pro ATV Racer,
Chris Borich, right from the showroom floor!
The power delivery in the woods was good after
the gearing change and “cherry bomb”
was installed. Lack of traction was apparent now
as the stock rear tires clawed for all their worth.
When the speeds picked up, the turning became
an issue as the stock tires wanted to slide instead
of bite, again, a factor of this machine being
focused on the motocross side of things more so
then the trails. Not a huge issue for most and
something that is easily fixed with tires more
suited to this type of riding.
